End of Beginnings
by hansonope
Summary: I once told Fred that if it weren't for the killing curse that had killed him, the wall would have crushed him. He responded that hadn't he been lucky both happened at the same time. I slipped up one day and told this morbid joke to George. He didn't laugh. I shouldn't have told him that. I could use his laugh right now, but that was gone. Instead, I ruined everything.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! It has been a long time. You may know me from a story called "Becoming George". That era has passed. I've been thinking about it for many years now since the abandonment on how to continue. I started the story when I was a freshman in high school. I am now a senior in college. Lots of time has passed, things change, you fall off and then back on the Harry Potter bandwagon, etc. So, here is the status of the story: I lowkey hated it. The timing was off. From the time of the Battle of Hogwarts to when Hogwarts started up again, I got the times wrong. I wrote Luna Lovegood a little bit OOC, she's not spaced out like that at all. George was too crude and Fred was too soft. Meredith was 2D and everything just stopped making sense for me. It bothered me for years. I ceased it and started hating it. I started a Star Wars fic in its place (which is seriously being written on AO3 and being planned on here. On here it needs to be doctored up severely) The excuses just get longer from here lol I recently jumped back on the Harry Potter train and I decided I need to fix what I started. Here it is, the revamping of Becoming George. Told through a new narrative style and more life experience. I'll keep the old story up, for now. There were chapters I was quite proud of, it'll be like an old relic or something to see how I've grown. Catch it now while supplies last. Also, to clear something up because I got a message not too long ago asking me why I always do OC falling into another world whatever. I write these and enjoy these types of stories because it's easy to become that person. The world is rough, and when I was younger I wanted to be in places like Harry Potter or fictional things like that. I feel like I'm giving back in that aspect to people now. We all need a little escapism from time to time.**

 **Now without further ado, I welcome you to the retelling of Becoming George!**

 **side note: if you have received a notification from this story today for chapter 2, I had it published for a little bit and then took it down. I decided to work on it some more. It will be up in the next two weeks.**

* * *

It was the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning really. I had read about things like the Butterfly effect in the past. Who hadn't? Even if you hadn't read it, you knew what it was. Or the Mandela Effect. How did that one conspiracy theory go again? Oh yes, I had a friend that knew loads about it once. _Once._ I once had a friend. I had a few actually. Do you ever sit and reflect about all the people you once met and where they are now? Maybe I hold onto the past a little too tightly. I'm always curious about how people are doing without me in their lives anymore. That's probably rather narcissistic. My mother calls it narcissism anyway. I call it I want to know if people actually like having me around and if I even made an impact on their lives. I do reflect a lot. I suppose I have a lot of reflection to do until the Minister of Magic has me hanged or something. Do wizards hang people? That's dramatic, isn't it? Or would it be a role reversal, a wizard hanging a muggle instead of the other way around?

Fred once told me a joke about wizard and muggle relations. I'll see if I remember it now, maybe I will feel better if I remember the old him. The One before tonight. Jesus Christ, now all I'm remembering is the wall. I remember sitting up half straddling his waist and half buried under more rubble than him. His leg is trapped under a rather large cobblestone piece. Even in the deafening explosion, I heard the sickening crunch. Better his leg than his head or chest. I couldn't breathe from all the debris. When the air had cleared, his eyes met mine. For a split second, he was the Old Fred. The one from before. In this moment, I felt my spine crawl. This moment he would swear up and down never happened. He didn't remember it. In that moment, I wanted to get far away from him.

" _What have you done?"_ He breathed the words out. It was hardly a whisper. I almost didn't catch it over Percy and Ron's yells. Fred's eyes were full of despair. Something I did not want to witness on either Twins' face. But I had. He closed them tightly and grit his teeth in pain.

"What?" I croaked. He opened his eyes slowly trying to focus on my face.

"It's my leg, I can't move it." he faced me fully then and I knew whatever he had said previously. That wasn't him anymore.

"Don't try to move," I begged him weakly.

Around that time the rubble was being quickly shifted away and I was jerked up from him by Ron. I thought that was uncalled for at the time. Now I could understand they had just witnessed their brother being tackled by a girl they did not know from this timeline and he had narrowly dodged a killing curse. I had always told Fred if it weren't for the killing curse that had killed him, the wall would have crushed him. He had always said that hadn't he been lucky that both happened at the same time.

"Fred!" Percy cried reaching him. He had tried to pull the same move Ron pulled on me, but Fred yelled out in pain.

"Percy, my leg. I can't move it!" Poor Fred choked out.

"We have to get moving. Now! We don't have time for this!" Harry ran over and helped Percy pick up Fred. Ron pulled me along as we quickly relocated to a hallway away from the one previous. Ron immediately rounded on me as soon as we hit that corner.

"Who are you!" He interrogated. I could see he was confused and angry. It was understandable. Percy and Harry propped Fred against the wall next to us. I felt like I was going to throw up. I was shaking all over.

"Ron, we can do this later!" Hermione tried to pull Ron away.

"No! No, we are going to do this now! We all saw it! She wasn't there and suddenly she was! Nobody can do that. That was not apperation! What did you do? You melted Rockwood right where he stood, what are you?" I couldn't think. I didn't want to answer. "That was Dark Magic! We all felt it. Tell me you didn't feel it!" Even Harry, who needed to leave right then, was intrigued.

"Ron, leave it." Fred ordered. Looking at him hurt. I didn't want to.

"You three need to go. I'll take them to the Great Hall. Hospital is being set up there last time I checked," said Percy.

"He's right. Now, c'mon!" Harry urged them and with a withering glance from Ron, they ran off with Harry breathlessly giving out plans for their next move. I had taken up too much time.

"You, come quickly. Grab his other arm. We can both carry him down, but we need to do it now. We've loitered too long!" Percy flanked Fred's left side and I his right. He was in a pitiful state and I still couldn't bear to look at him. His head was bent forward and it was like the strength had left him. I was in a trance all the way to the Great Hall. I did what I set out to do, hadn't I? I guess I should have thought about whatever that was more clearly before I had done it. Because when we stepped through those huge doors with Fred half alive, nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see. I don't want to remember, but I have to. I have to remember this part. Percy almost dropped Fred when he saw. Fred, well, I won't say what he did. There was still a red headed family surrounding a body. It wasn't Fred. It was George Weasley.

I had killed George Weasley.

A life for a life, is what they call it. One was fated to die. I could go back a thousand times and one would die a new way. You couldn't save both. You couldn't get one and then the other. It was written in Fabian and Gideon Prewett's time. And I was a stupid muggle. A very stupid girl who didn't know their ways or their history. You could only save one. I feel like I've made the wrong choice. To start at the beginning, I had to tell the end. I don't want to remember either.

Ah, alas, I don't remember Fred's joke. I have tried recounting it. I have forgotten how it goes, so I shall tell you the end of the joke.

The muggle girl died of fright.

Horrid, isn't it?


	2. Chapter 2

Sometimes I remember my previous life and the thought grows cold. I feel like I am in a dream most days. I pass the time by not really being in my body. I don't really speak when spoken to. I feel like I've lost my voice. I know I've been locked away for a week and half. They have me in some memory ward at a wizard hospital. They are building a case against me. I know that much. The Minister of Magic said the evidence that they found and research conducted was too inconclusive to process me through Azkaban. Although, they had tried. I stayed in a cold and lonely cell for three days. I was let out when they could not find what they needed to keep me there. As I had not committed a true crime other than melt away a death eater, have no real trace of magic in my bones, and traces of dark magic had been used.

I sometimes think about that night. What happened after we learned about George. I thought Fred could have died right there instead. He collapsed to his knees sometime after Percy lost his grip. I sank down with him. I couldn't hold him up on my own. In that split second, I looked at him. And I mean _really_ looked at him. His leg was all mangled and his clothes mostly torn. He had a deep gash in his forehead and scratches every inch of his skin. "Fred," I whispered not really caring that he did not know me here or anywhere. At that moment I was jerked upwards by two people from the Ministry.

Percy had come back to his senses and made a move to stop them. "What is the meaning of all this?" he shouted. Fred weakly looked at me being restrained by the two men and made a move to stand up, but he crumpled to the ground. Percy caught him.

"It has come to the Kingsley's attention of the incident in the corridor where your brother was injured. We have to detain her." My arms were placed behind my back and it felt like they were being bound. I cried out in pain.

"She saved my brother's life!" Percy said in urgency his face darkened with outrage.

" _How_ she saved your brother's life is the problem, Mr. Weasley. Please go be with your family and get him looked at. I am terribly sorry for your loss." said the largest man who had bound my hands. When reminded of George, both brothers looked at one another. Fred grabbed Percy by his sleeve and shook his head trying to get Percy to leave it alone. I deserved it to say the least. About that time their mother had caught wind of them being at the entrance and had ran up to the both of them sobbing hysterically. I was being led away from the hospital about that time. I looked mournfully at Fred as he was being lifted onto a makeshift bed as more people surrounded him. That was the last I saw of him.

I was jerked out of my memories at a light knock on the door. One of the ward's nurses stepped in. "You have some visitors." she informed me. The same case workers from that night stepped in, I had learned that they weren't just any ministry officials. They called themselves Aurors. I had learned that their names were Glenn and Avis. They were nice for the most part. Especially when they let me leave the wizard prison.

The head nurse took her leave as a shorter pudgier man with balding red hair stepped in after them. "We have someone you might want to get acquainted with." Avis said as the man shyly stepped forward. "This is Arthur Weasley. The father of the boy you saved that night. He is in charge of a muggle department in the Ministry. It has come to our attention that he believes you are muggle." From what I knew about Avis he probably thought it was ludicrous. I didn't blame him.

Arthur looked at him shocked. "Y-yes that is right." he came forward to me slightly and lifted out his hand. "I had hoped to do that little introduction myself." I stared at his hand. I had not really had any human contact in so long, I almost forgot what a handshake was. I reached out and took his hand. He shook it very lightly and smiled kindly. I immediately trusted him. But still not enough to tell him I had time traveled with the intention to save his son that should be dead. He let go of my hand. "What's your name, dear?"

"Good luck with that one, Arthur. Can't really get that out of her," Glenn said bemusedly.

"I suppose we should try Veritaserum," Avis said bluntly.

"No! No, I'm sure she's just frightened is all. Do you mind if I have some time alone with her?" Arthur asked. I hoped they would. I wanted to know how Fred was. I was anxious.

"We can't really allow that, Arthur," Avis started but was interrupted by Glenn.

"We'll allow it. Just this once. I could use a bite to eat anyway. Bit famished." Glenn rubbed his stomach and made his way to the door. Avis looked like he was about to protest, but Glenn only stared back at him. "Come on, Ave. Leave it. I'm starving. She won't talk anyway." Glenn had to know better than that. Maybe they were doing this out of pity for Arthur. Avis took a minute to think about it staring at me and then Mr. Weasley.

"Alright, Alright," Avis caved. "Only thirty minutes, Arthur. If Kingsley finds out about this, it won't be a pretty sight. He doesn't really have the time to fool with this sort of thing."

"You have my word," Arthur nodded to Avis putting his hands behind is back. Avis gave me a look and then followed Glenn out the door. Arthur watched as they left. "Now then, let's get you out of here."

"What?" that is not what I expected him to say. I started to sweat nervously.

"Look, fingers crossed," he grinned and showed me his right hand. "Isn't this what you muggles do when you're telling a lie? Come along now, we don't have much time. I am certain Glenn knows what is going on here, it'll take Avis sometime though." I stood shakily as he produced a rather large cloak from his pocket. How the hell did he do that? "Just put this over you, and nobody will see you when we step out. Just follow closely behind me and try not to make any noise."

I backed away from him as he eagerly reached out for me. "I-I don't understand. I don't deserve this. Please, just leave."

His smile faltered. "You saved my son. Now I am going to save you and I am going to win your case. I don't believe you are as evil as they are trying to make you sound and I don't think you are as evil as you want yourself to be. Please, we have to go." I took the cloak. I don't know why I did. I blindly trusted him. I think I will regret it. "Go on, then. It's an Invisibility Cloak. A good friend of the family loaned it to me." I wrapped it around myself. "From here on I can't see you. But please, follow behind me." he opened the door and I stepped through it. "Off we go then." I let him pass me and he started down the long hallway that connected to my room. This is the first time I was allowed out. Everything was a glossy blinding white. I followed closely behind him and we went through a connecting door. Once through there were spirals of staircases and many doors leading to each floor. There were signs for the floors. This place couldn't have been bigger than five floors. I followed Mr. Weasley down many flights of stairs until we came to a door labeled "Ground Floor". He quietly ushered me through just as we made it through Mr. Weasley ran right into somebody who was quickly trying to walk through.

"Arthur!" the person squeaked.

"Oh! Drat, I almost didn't see you there, Augustus!" Mr. Weasley cried out as he steadied the man from falling by grabbing onto his shoulders.

"Dear me! It's been quite a while! I heard about your younger boys, the twins. I'm awfully sorry, Arthur. Terrible." the man said mournfully. My heart gave an awful sort of pain. I was so anxious to hear about Fred.

"Yes, well," Mr. Weasley gulped. I could tell he didn't want to have this conversation right now. "Fred is on the mend it seems. He won't be able to walk for some time to come. We'll manage I'm sure."

"I heard Fred was in the second floor. I'll probably pop in some time and see the poor lad." there was an awkward pause. "I should let you back to it then. Goodbye, Arthur. You and your family take yourselves!" The man tipped his lime green cap and fled through the door. Mr. Weasley stood there for a second as if processing the conversation. I let a few tears fall. Fred was okay for the most part. Thankfully.

Mr. Weasley coughed to get my attention to let me know we were on the move again. I followed him out of the Lobby door and right into a new building. "You may take the cloak off." he whispered. I took it off and immediately handed it back to him. I looked around the building. It looked absolutely run down. Nothing like the hospital we just walked out of. "It's a disguise to keep muggles from going in." I noticed he had walked to a rather large window. He motioned for me to climb out of it. I rushed over to him and threw one leg over the ledge. I dropped down and my feet hit a sidewalk. He climbed out after me. My senses were almost overloaded as I realized we were in a city environment.

"How," I started to ask how did we end up here, but didn't have the chance as Mr. Weasley immediately pulled me to an alleyway behind the building we were just in.

"I'm not sure if you've ever dealt with apparition before, but the feeling will be rather unpleasant. Just don't move." he grabbed my left arm and before I could protest I felt darkness enclose me and my body felt like it was being condensed into a small jar. I knew nothing more.

* * *

A/N: I'm going to try everything in my power to revive this story during quarantine. I've literally been working on it for over ten years in varying degrees. I've got to get this idea out now.


	3. Chapter 3

I met George Weasley by accident. I met him through my sister (when I had a sister) and her roommate. It had been seven months after the Battle, something my sister had finally confided in me. My parents didn't have a clue. It's something my sister worked very hard to keep from them. I remember being jealous of her when I was younger. She had always told me it was nothing to be jealous of, especially when a kid was killed in her year at school. I was thirteen when it happened, she worked very hard to keep the letters from the school away from her parents. She didn't want them to know. I wasn't jealous after that.

At 19, she dragged me to Diagon Alley with her roommate. It was my first time truly being exposed to magic, her world. We were headed to George's shop. According to my sister George had only just reopened it in time for the holidays. As we approached the shop, it was an absolute eyesore. It was the most colorful building in the whole Alley. It was fantastic.

"Oh, Christ, Jane. It's like one of those joke shops, isn't it?" I moaned. My sister shushed me and linked her arm through mine.

"Hush, Birdie. Please _please_ be on your best behavior. George is probably going through a lot right now, especially with it being the holidays," she whispered to me. Her roommate looked like she was about to vomit right there.

"I don't think this is a good idea. We shouldn't corner him like this," she gulped.

"Angie, we are showing our support. I think now is a good time," my sister let go of my arm and reached for her roommate. "He'll be very happy to see you. It'll be alright." When Angie looked a bit calmer, my sister gave her a small smile. She opened the door and we all crowded inside. My senses were immediately overloaded.

"It's so much bigger on the inside!" I gasped as my sister and her roommate disappeared from view. A paper plane whizzed over my head and landed into a display full of fireworks. Tiny fireworks erupted around the top of the display resembling a 'W'. My eyes were drawn to a shelf of so proclaimed 'Witch Beauty' products. I curiously walked towards them drawn to the vials of pink liquids and little trinkets. I picked up one of the small vials. "Love Potion?" I said aloud crinkling my nose. 'Alright then, Weasley.' I put it back and continued my venture in finding my sister and her friend. I got immediately lost again in a particular aisle full of what looked like human ears and other gimmicks. I reached out to touch one of the ears and upon feeling the texture of the skin on the curve of the ear, I jumped back. I suppressed a tiny scream as I stumbled back into one of the shelves. The contents came spilling down onto the floor and the next I knew I was covered in the thickest black smoke I had ever seen. I reached out with my hands to try and find any sturdy structure to hold on to. I heard children's screams fill the air and the sounds of things crashing around me as I fell to the floor with the objects. I knew then Jane was going kill me.

" _Finite Incan-_ Merlin's beard, will you children move out of the way? Please go to find your parents. _Finite Incantatem!_ " a voice called over the thick smoke. In an instant, everything around me dissipated. I could see again and in front of me was George looming over me. Of course, I'd never seen him before this moment. I hadn't any idea that it was him. He was tall, taller than most men I'd met. And God, that red hair! It was closely cropped to his ear. He had told me once he decided to keep it short to show off his devilishly handsome ' _battle scars_ '. Also, the real reason being he had grown it out a few times in Hogwarts and concluded he would never do it again. "Hello, love. I assume you're Birdie. Well, I'm George Weasley. What the _hell_ have you done to my shop?"

I was at a loss for words. "I-I, shit, I am so sorry. The ear-ear, I'd never really seen anything like it before. It was startling." I tried to stand up, but I quickly noted my hands were stinging. I had cut my hands on broken glass.

I couldn't read him very well. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Right, that's nasty. Let's take care of that. I'll talk property damage later." He then helped me up before I could protest. About that time Jane and Angie ran around the corner. Jane looked ruffled and took in the scene of the broken products accented by the overturned shelves.

"Oh, Birdie! What did you do!" she cried exasperatedly.

"The ear!" I could only reply as George pulled me down the aisle.

"Extendable Ears, actually. Quite useful. It's 3 Galleons if you're interested. I'd prefer you buy one instead of destroying some more." George answered me. He pulled me past the front of the store and into a storage room leaving Angie and Jane outside. He gestured for me to sit on one of the work desks, and I did so obediently watching this man rummage through drawers. He pulled out a box of bandages and went to work cleaning my cuts for me. "I'd heal them for you, but Jane told me you haven't been around a lot of magic before." He swiftly picked out the glass and swiped an alcohol wipe over the cuts. I had appreciated him not using magic on me at the time. I didn't understand how any of it worked. He blew on the cuts to make the stinging go way from the wipe. I watched him mesmerized. He really was quite handsome. I felt bad as soon as I thought it. We were there for Angie, after all. He bandaged them and released my hands. "You'd be amazed how many children come in and break things. I hadn't been open for no more than three days and a couple of kids almost broke the fireworks display. Though, you're the first adult to do so."

"I'm so sorry, I swear I'll buy everything! Well, Jane will. I'll just have to pay her back," I trailed off when he started to laugh.

"Don't worry about it. I just said those things to scare the kids around. Can't start letting them think they can just go around breaking _anything_ now. It's all easily repairable." he reassured me. It was there that I really should have just left it alone and insisted I pay it off and then never ever under any circumstances, talk to him again. But that's not how it went. I just had to fuck it up.

* * *

When I finally came to from the apparation with Mr. Weasley, I was still in shock. Of course there was no George or Jane. My eyes stung as light flickered in around me.

"Thank goodness, you're alright," I sat up slowly as a woman's voice echoed through the room. A cold compress fell from my head and I took in my surroundings. Someone had placed me on a lounge chair. I was in an ordinary family sitting room. A fire place crackled in front of me, comforting me a little. A red haired woman only a head shorter than Mr. Weasley sat down at the end of the chair and gently pushed me to lie back down. "Lie down, dear. You've had a bit of a shock. Apparation is always difficult the first time."

"Where, where am I?" I choked out as she wiped my face with the cold compress.

"Safe," she smiled down at me. I should have taken more comfort from that than I did. She stood up then and wiped her hands on the apron she wore over the oddest skirts with the strangest patterns I'd ever seen. She looked like she worked at one of those apothecaries for essential oils. "I'm Molly Weasley. Arthur is my husband." My heart dropped into my stomach. He'd taken to me to the Weasley's family home. I wanted to die.

"I can't be here," I shot up again in panic. I scrambled to get up from the couch when I heard raised voices coming from the corridor.

"Arthur, where is she? I know she's in here!" it sounded exactly like Avis. Sure enough, he and Glenn came barreling around the corner with Arthur and Percy at their coattails. "You! We are leaving this instant. Glenn, help me."

"Avis, she's innocent. I can prove it. Why would a muggle do such a thing? It's not possible!" Mr. Weasley shouted.

"See, that's the question, innit? Why _would_ a muggle be able to do such a thing? Arthur, I told you before. I understand she saved your boy, but this is unnatural. She has to be processed. If she's proven innocent, fine. She can leave. Until then, she's guilty. Every trace of magic used that night in that corridor was traced back to her!" Avis said waving his hands in the air. "I'm only doing my job."

"I understand, Avis. I know. But it could be years before they come to a conclusion, you said it yourself! It was still too inconclusive. I know I can prove her innocent." Mr. Weasley said. "Percy, tell them!"

"Yes, Percy. Please do tell us!" Avis cried in frustration. "Did they tell you? Did they tell you about Jane Wimbsy? That was her bloody sister! She was a muggle born, only one in her family. They have records of her at Hogwarts. Tell them, Percy. Tell them how you knew her!"

Jane. Why did they talk about her in past tense? Was she alive in this timeline? "Ex-excuse me, what about Jane?" I timidly asked. All eyes in the room turned to me.

"Avis," Glenn said in warning as Avis looked like he was about to take the bait to answer.

"We know about Jane. This doesn't change our approach. She's innocent," Percy said carefully looking between me and Avis. "Perhaps we can come to an agreement. After all, it seems your partner has been quite keen on such."

Avis whirled around to face Glenn. "You knew Arthur was coming for her, didn't you?"

Glenn held a hand up in surrender. "I did. Ave, I think they can help her. You know the Ministry is still tying up loose ends with rogue Death Eaters. I don't think this girl is involved. I know you've got to be thinking the same. C'mon! think beyond the Ministry, mate."

It was quiet for a long time as Avis contemplated on the situation. Meanwhile, I just wanted to know what the hell they knew about my sister. In all my selfishness over Fred and George, I had completely had forgotten about my family. What kind of wretched person forgets about their own family? "What's your conditions?" Avis asked glaring at Glenn, obviously embarrassed that he had no choice but to follow him.

"I'm so glad you asked, boys!" Mr. Weasley clapped his hands together. "Molly, dear, could you put the kettle on? This may take a moment." He motioned for Glenn and Avis to follow him out of the room. "And you too, you'll want to hear this." He said encouraging me to follow. Everyone left the sitting room, which left me hesitantly wondering if I should trust him and Percy still waiting for me in the doorway.

"My sister, is she..." my voice trailed off unable to say it.

Percy cleared his throat and answered nervously, "We don't know. Nobody's seen her since the war ended. It's like she's vanished."

I nodded slowly still not knowing how to process the news. What if in turn, I had erased her from existence. She had warned me messy things happen when people use magic for their own gain. I think that should apply to real life too, considering I didn't have it. Not like her, anyway. I probably killed two people in the process of only trying to save one.

* * *

A/n: still trying to revamp things. Chapters will get longer as they go. I'm still mapping things out. I may make this story shorter than originally planned.


	4. Chapter 4

Sitting in the kitchen was awkward. Molly Weasley placed a warm cup in front of me. She smiled gently, a sweet sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. After all, one of her sons was in the hospital and the other was dead. It had been my fault. I really must stop blaming myself. This was my reality now. Avis and Glenn flanked either side of me with Percy and Arthur Weasley sat in front of us. It was quiet for a moment as Molly brought the rest of the company tea. Avis looked frustrated. Every so often, he would sigh and fiddle with the ends of his blonde hair. He had a few scars that mingled with the wrinkles in his face making him look older than what he really was. He couldn't have been more than thirty. Glenn, however, I couldn't read him. I never could gauge him, even in our most intense interrogations. He was a bit older than Avis, with fewer scars and wrinkles, that was as far as I could get from him physically.

"Now then," Arthur cleared his throat as Molly handed him the last mug. "let's talk terms. This young lady, I'm sorry. How could I have forgotten? How terribly rude of me! I never got your name from earlier. What's your name, dear?"

"We told you. Good luck with that one," Avis scoffed.

"Birdie," I mumbled. Deciding to tell him. Arthur gave me a genuine smile. The first one I had seen in ages. I almost felt like I could trust him.

"Birdie. Yes, Birdie! I believe Birdie should stay here, for her own protection," Arthur said sternly, turning his gaze back to Glenn and Avis.

"Absolutely not," Avis said continuing to fiddle with the ends of his hair.

"To be out of the public eye, this would be the ideal place. We still have a few protection spells added around the property from the Order. We have increased a few of them cleverly placed by none other than Hermione Granger herself! The first step is to keep her out of the Prison and Mungo's. Nobody knows better than my family how hungry the Prophet is for a new story. If there is even one inkling out that they have an unknown muggle staying at Mungo's, everyone will know. Especially when it gets out about Jane. I'm sure there are records of her family. I know the Aurors have had a difficult time keeping the story about Rockwood out of the papers," Arthur finished explaining.

"Who told you that one? Potter?" Avis sat up a little bit straighter. "He's only been in training a week!"

"Actually, it is well known throughout the Ministry what happened that night to my brothers and to my family. The Aurors aren't exactly trying to hide it, now are they?" Percy quipped finishing by sipping a bit of his tea.

"Right then, she stays here at the Burrow. Then what?" Avis questioned sharply, deciding to ignore Percy. "You think this place isn't on the Prophet's list of places to check up on? You lot are practically bloody war heroes. You've got the Brightest Witch of her age and The Boy Who Lived runnin' around here. Where do you think she'll be _out_ of the public eye?"

"You don't have faith in Hermione's charms do you, Avis?" Percy asked obviously humored. "Means you haven't seen them."

Avis glared at Percy. I could tell he wanted so badly to tell him off. "Still haven't told us a plan on how you intend to keep her here, have you? She still has a case against her. She still is a suspect not only in what happened inside of the castle, but now her sister's disappearance."

I squirmed a bit. This didn't go unnoticed by Percy and Arthur. I didn't have a sister in this universe either. I thought things would be better here.

"The case has been put on hold. How long, we don't know. You've said it yourself," Glenn decided to speak up. "Look, Avis. The girl didn't do it. We can't even get conclusive evidence. What has happened to this girl Jane, we've only just found out. I've decided to drop the case."

"You what?" Avis gasped.

"However," Glenn held up a hand. "I've decided to take up the Jane Whimbsy case." Glenn turns his body to me and looks down at me. And I mean really looks at me. Glenn isn't one for many words. "We are going to find your sister. I don't believe you are capable of such magic. You will be safe here. This doesn't mean you are out of the clear yet. It's just long enough to collect what we need to and keep whomever has decided to go Rogue at bay, for now." He turns to look at Avis next. "There's no way the Ministry is going to be able to keep what happened to Rockwood from the public. People are going to find out a muggle girl was involved. Especially if Fred Weasley so chooses to tell what happened that night. If we drop the case now, it will buy us a little time."

"I suppose I don't have a choice do I?" Avis grumbled. Glenn only gave him a sympathetic look in return.

"Well, it's settled!" Arthur said clapping his hands together. Avis looked as if he could have been anywhere but here in this kitchen.

I felt stunned. I couldn't move. Even as Arthur and Percy walked Glenn and Avis out the door talking over plans. Glenn had gently squeezed my shoulder as he idly walked by. Avis said nothing. Not that I had expected him to. Although, I had grown rather close to them over the months. They were all I had known since coming here. I stayed put for a while picking my hands staring around the kitchen. I watched various kitchen utensils floating about and cleaning themselves in the sink. I felt relieved and disturbed that I felt relieved. I hated myself.

"Birdie," a gentle voice called for me. Mrs. Weasley stepped into my line of sight blocking the kitchen sink. "Dear, I know you must be tuckered completely out. Please, let me show you where you'll be staying for the time being. You need a proper rest." She reached out her hand to help me out of my seat. I took it and she helped me up. It was then I realized how tired I really was. She led me up a couple of flights of stairs and down a dimly lit hallway to a door at the end. "This is my eldest, Bill's room. He's off and married now with a baby on the way. He doesn't stay over very often. My daughter, Ginny has a room that is just a couple of doors down. She's away at Hogwarts now. But when she comes home for the holidays, you'll have a bit of company. Mine and Arthur's room is just upstairs on the fourth floor. If you need anything just give a little shout and I'll be here as fast as I can." She opened the door for me and let me inside. "I've left a few towels on the bed and a few of Ron's old trousers and shirts. I must get a hold of some more clothes for you, dear, but for now this is all I could find."

I really wanted to tell her she was doing too much for me, but I just nodded in response. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

She gave me a tight smile and stepped out the door. "Good night. Please, try and get some rest. You're safe now." She said firmly and closed the door behind her.

The room was practically barren except for a wardrobe, mirror, and a full sized bed. It looked like somebody hadn't stayed here in a while. I took off my socks and gown they had given me in Hospital. I slowly got into the bed and laid under the covers. I turned on my side and stared out the window that was on the other side of the room. The night sky filtered in and the moon's glow washed over the room. Part of me felt guilty. Guilty that I hadn't thought of my sister's safety before coming here, my family, or George. That maybe things would have went wrong and I should have taken that in consideration. I should have taken Fred in to better consideration. I shouldn't be here. The other part of me was relieved. Relieved that I was with the Weasley's and Avis and Glenn were looking for my sister now and not harassing me any longer. I was relieved that Fred was alive and that I could actually really see him in the flesh. I gripped the covers tightly. He was going to find out the truth, though. He was going to find out the truth and he was going to hate me for it. Old Fred was proud of his family and protective over his siblings. I doubt that trait had changed in this world and when he finds out what I had done, he was going to kill me. I shut my eyes as I felt them burn with tears. My throat constricted and I tried desperately not to make a sound when I let a few tears fall out.

"Oh, Jane. George. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I'm so horrible and I've let you both go." I said out loud. I laid there in silence and tried not to think about anything else. I fell into a fitful sleep full of nightmares of Old Jane and George and of that night in the corridor. A place I dreamed of every night since the Battle had ended.

* * *

I awoke the next morning to a few bangs that came from downstairs. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and stretched. I lazily got out of bed and picked through some of Ron's old clothes that I had strewn across the bed as I had forgotten to move them last night. I pulled on just a plain shirt and some old trousers. I pulled my socks on from last night, not really caring that they were dirty and headed downstairs to the kitchen. I found Mrs. Weasley bustling about, whipping together breakfast haphazardly. Mr. Weasley came running in behind me hopping around trying to put on his shoes.

"Oh, good morning Birdie!" he said out of breath as he got the right foot in.

"Birdie! Goodness, I didn't see you there!" Mrs. Weasley gasped as a plate of toast flew over my head and landed on the kitchen table. I still wasn't used to this much magic. It was quite overwhelming. "Arthur, you're late!"

"I know, I know, just trying- _blast,_ to get this other sh _oe on!"_ Mr. Weasley said through his teeth as he finished with his left foot. About that time Percy came in looking rumpled and not as put together as he had been yesterday. He looked like he hadn't had much sleep. He gave me a polite smile in greeting, one that didn't match the rest of his face. "Birdie, Percy and I will be out most of the day. We've got to finish a few ends on getting your case sorted out. I figured you could stay and rest a bit. Keep Molly company. Oh, I almost forgot. Molly, darling, I figured I'd pop in and see Fred for a bit. Ron sent word he had been to see him yesterday. He said the healers are thinking he'll be well enough to return home next week."

It was there that a dish of jam came crashing down at my feet. Honestly, I hadn't blamed Molly. My heart gave a slight jerk at the very mention of him coming home.

"I am so sorry Birdie!" Mrs. Weasley cried. She flicked her wand at the mess and I watched the dish repair itself.

"It's alright," I mumbled stupidly getting out of the way of the repairing dish.

"Oh, Arthur! That's wonderful news. I must see him tomorrow." Mrs. Weasley said happily, she looked a bit misty eyed. I imagined she would have liked to see him today, but I was there. Ruining everything.

Mr. Weasley smiled and walked over to her to give her a small hug. He kissed her cheek gently. "Well, Percy and I should be on our way now. Good bye, Birdie!"

"Bye, Mum." Percy said softly bending down to place a kiss on her cheek. Mrs. Weasley hugged him tightly. I assumed it wasn't a common occurrence.

When Mr. Weasley and Percy left, Mrs. Weasley made me sit and eat some breakfast. She didn't talk to me as much as I thought she would. She probably didn't want to bother me. I was grateful towards her for that one. I didn't really feel like talking, not yet anyway. She only asked me how I was and if I slept well. After breakfast, she refused my help to clean the kitchen up again. Instead, she led me to one of the washrooms on the floor I was staying at near Bill and Ginny's old rooms. She helped me draw a bath and showed me where a few toiletries were. She gave me some new towels and told me to call for her if I needed anything else. I climbed in the tub after locking the door. I was thankful for the quiet and even more thankful for a bath and working toilet. I felt my body go completely lax as soon as it felt the warm water. I played absentmindedly with the water in between my fingers. I thought about Fred which in turn triggered my guilt for not thinking about George.

After meeting George in his shop, I grew fond of his company. I was living with Jane and Angie at the time. It was odd being a muggle among two other witches. I liked being around George. He began coming around more to visit Angie and through various hangouts Jane organized with a few people from Hogwarts. I was allowed to come with them and drink at the Leaky Cauldron and other various magical places. We should have realized then it was risky for me to be out there with them like that. George and I had seen each other without Angie and Jane around. We made each other laugh and occasionally cry. He had opened up to me about losing Fred and a bit about how how his family was recovering. I never asked him anything about magic and I never asked him to elaborate on anything I didn't understand. I just listened to him talk for hours. He would listen to me talk about how I had been jealous of Jane's magical abilities, but after watching how everyone was coping after the Battle I hadn't been so envious of her anymore. I was more wary about it in a way. He understood. He would swap stories about Fred and I grew fascinated with the idea of Fred as a person. I wished I had been able to meet him. We grew closer, something Jane had wished we hadn't. I could tell she had wanted Angie to grow with him in the way I had. I could tell Angie wanted the same. I felt rotten for it.

It had been that following May. I had just turned twenty years old. It was a year after the battle. I hadn't seen George in a couple of weeks. None of us had. Angie had been nervous about it, but felt like she needed to give him his space. Jane hadn't been really present either. She had been rather caught up with work, which wasn't unlike her either. This particular night, everything felt off. I was the only one at the flat. I had gotten off of work early and decided to go lay down. I had been exhausted. When I opened the bedroom door, I saw a man in my window looking out.

"George?" I asked hesitantly. "What are you doing here? Nobody's seen you in weeks, Angie's beside herself with worry." Something looked off about him. He turned around and I felt odd. I immediately felt sick to my stomach. I felt frightened. It wasn't George. It wasn't exactly human either. "Who are you?" I asked not really sure how I had managed to ask it very coherently. He gave me a grim smile. He didn't look all the way there in the moonlight. "You're not George."

 _'I'm not.'_ his voice was chilling and I felt the sudden urge to run away. I resisted it.

"You're Fred, aren't you?" I shakily stepped forward. He nodded. "Why are you here then? You shouldn't be here. Why are you here?"

 _'Your sister. Tell her to stop looking.'_ he looked like he hadn't even said it out loud. His mouth had barely moved.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. I blinked and he seemed closer to me. I felt cold and waves of sadness hit me.

 _'Tell her, it's dangerous. She'll listen to you.'_ I backed away from him.

"I don't-I don't understand," I started as the door to the flat opened. I jerked in surprise and glanced behind me.

"Birdie!" Angie called for me from the kitchen. When I turned back around, Fred was gone and I was terrified. Maybe I should have told Jane about Fred. Maybe I should have told George about Fred and Jane.

"Stop thinking about it," I say out loud to nobody but myself as I'm back to present day in the Weasley's second floor washroom. "It's not going to bring them back. It's not going to help." I dig my fingers into the palms of my hands desperately trying to think of anything but. I let out the water and take a few deep breaths before getting out of the tub. Thinking about them wasn't going to bring them back. It wasn't going to help Jane from getting herself killed in my old timeline or from going missing in this one. It wasn't going to fix me hurting Angie by getting closer to George. It wasn't going to be fair to George that I had done all of this for Fred. I stared in the mirror for the first time in weeks. "I hate you." I say through gritted teeth. I felt a rush of anger and for the first time I acted on it. How I really felt. I punched a hole through the mirror above the sink. The mirror came crashing down as I pulled my hand back to my chest. Blood started to pool down my right hand as glass cut through the skin there.

For once, it felt nice feeling something other than self loathing and regret. It felt nice to feel how I really felt.

* * *

A/N: bit longer this time around. I've wrestled with writing this chapter for 8 years now. It feels nice to finally come to a decision on how I wanted Fred to be introduced. I feel more confident in this story now. It also helps making time to write it. I should probably start to make time for my Star Wars story too. That one has taken even longer to come into fruition. Hope everyone is safe and well.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I am updating the timeline of this story since there are two universes it exists in. Both exist in the year 1998/1999. It is told through flashbacks and "present day". It's a way of Birdie processing things that have happened in the past. I'll normally start chapters from here on out with a flashback from her original timeline until we get caught up with present day. I'll notify it at the beginning of each chapter to keep it from getting muddled. When she talks about meeting George in his joke shop it is around November 1998. When she meets Fred's apparition (ghost) it's May 2nd, 1999. This is where the flashbacks are currently. The second timeline, the one she gets transported in is back to May 2nd 1998. She has a brief stay in Azkaban, and then in St. Mungo's until September 1998 where Arthur breaks her out to stay at the Burrow Fred has been in St. Mungo's since the accident and Ginny has just been seen off for her final year at Hogwarts. This is where we are currently. I hope this helps ease any confusion. I want to continue this style of writing without exactly having to label it is a flashback. I do line breaks to show the break in between flashback and "present day". Now onto the next chapter. I keep saying I'm going to make them longer, but this one is about as long as the last chapter. From here on they will be getting longer. This story will be at least 15 chapters long. I've decided to make it short.

* * *

I remember when Jane started to grow distant. I remember when she wasn't present in the flat anymore and I remember feeling a bit lonely. Angie had her own life and I wasn't particularly close to her. I saw George at least once a week, and I had brought my concerns up to him.

"I understand your worry, but you know how Jane is like when she's busy. It could be nothing," was all he had said. We had been sitting on the floor of his sitting room in his flat above the shop. He had been showing me how to play Exploding Snap when I had confessed I knew nothing about wizard games. We did mundane things like this in our spare time together. I did not tell him about my encounter with Fred or why that was the real reason I was concerned about Jane's whereabouts. I'd been having horrible nightmares since I had 'met' Fred. They were of me in a strange corridor, with no where to run to. I'd always blink in the dream and it would end in the same explosion of the walls around me in bright green light. I couldn't breathe and that's how I'd wake up. Other nights, it would be of the same corridor but I'd always find Jane dead.

"George," I had asked him feeling pretty foolish for what I was about to say.

"Hm?" he hummed as he made his next move in the game.

"How did Fred die?" I asked softly. We'd never talked about it. Nobody else had either. All I knew was that he died in the Battle, but never how. I felt like I should know. There was a loud snapping sound as some of the cards scattered away.

"Damn," he said leaning back on his hands. He'd lost again. A puff of smoke rose up above us. He sighed and looked up at me. He watched me for a minute. "Birdie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. I just, Well, we've never really talked about it." I replied digging my fingernails into my palms.

"I told you, I think Jane is fine." he said reaching forward to grab my hands to get me to stop the digging. He came to sit closer by me and never lost his grip on my hands. "I don't really talk about it. It feels odd now that nobody has really talked about it since it happened. Mum cries a bit if anybody brings it up, and Percy hasn't really came to terms with it. I sometimes feel a bit angry and other times, I feel sad. It's been a year, but it feels like yesterday and decades ago all at once." He squeezed my hand lightly. "Percy and Ron were there when it happened. They said he was killed by the killing curse, but about that time one of the walls to Hogwarts exploded. Wrong place, wrong time, I suppose. They both had to dig him out."

I froze. I had felt my throat constrict and my stomach churn. Fred had been trying to show me. He had been showing me what happened. I didn't know what that had to do with Jane, but I felt petrified. I tried to regain my composure, for George. He'd confided in me something that was hard for him and his family to talk about. I talked with him more about Fred and then when it got late, I had left him with promises of returning the next day. I rushed home via Floo. The lights to the flat were off and I knew nobody was there. I had hoped Jane would have been there, but I had an even bigger feeling Fred would be. I threw open in the door to my room and the feelings of dread washed over me once more. The same coldness from the other night pricked at my skin and the same urge to run flooded my instincts.

"Why are you showing me?" I demanded the apparition in front of me. The lifeless form drew closer. I backed away slightly. "I don't want to see. Why are you showing me of all people? Your brother misses you dearly as well as your family. Why?"

 _'I can't see them. It doesn't work that way.'_ his voice echoed chillingly.

"George told me about all of the ghosts that haunt inside Hogwarts, why aren't you there?" I questioned him further trying not to leave my own room.

 _'I can't.'_

"Then why are you showing me those horrible things? You know I'm a muggle right? I can't help you even if I wanted to. I'm sorry about what happened to you, but you aren't welcome here." I shakily walked towards him. I wanted to see him better. To know I wasn't going mad.

 _'Your sister is making it impossible for me. I need you to help me. Help George.'_ he said as I was standing not even a few centimeters away. _'Don't come closer. You don't need to see. It'll be harder for you to recover from what you feel now.'_

"What are you and why are you so interested in my sister? What is she doing? Why is it so important?" I asked him, deciding to take his advice as I had felt extremely faint. The sorrow magnified inside of me as it washed right off of him.

 _'Jane is working on something that could hurt my family and others. I need you to find it. And destroy it.'_

"What is it? Jane wouldn't hurt anybody! I don't understand. Why does this require my help!" At this moment, anger had taken over my better judgement. It is something I will never forget. I reached out to grab his arm and when I did, it went through him but not without a price. I felt like I was suffocating like in my nightmares. Images of green light and falling walls flashed before my eyes. I felt restlessness, pain, sorrow, and intense anger all at once. I buckled to my knees, and struggled to breathe. The lights to my room flew on as the images kept repeating throughout my mind. My body felt like it was burning. This is where Angie found me. Fred had disappeared. My sister was still no where to be in sight. I never went to the hospital as I convinced Angie it wasn't necessary. She was skeptical at first, and tried to get a hold of my sister. I sat in Angie's room and waited until Jane came home to assess me herself. It was the first time in weeks that I had seen her when she came running through the door. She thanked Angie and pulled me into her room where she fretted over me like a mother. I couldn't bring myself to tell her about my encounter with Fred. I was just thankful that she was home.

It was one of the last times I saw her alive.

* * *

Life at the Burrow was different than any of the lives I have ever led. It was quiet and peaceful, and other times too peaceful. I had settled in for about a week now. Mrs. Weasley had found out about the broken mirror. She found out about it the moment it shattered to the floor. She had rushed up the stairs and all but kicked down the door. She saw me cradling my hand and tears in my eyes. She didn't scold me and she didn't yell. In fact, she gently tugged me out of the way. Fixed the mirror like she had with the broken dish and doctored my cuts. She said nothing, the understanding in her eyes was enough. She healed my cuts with magic, unlike George had. She used liquid from a vial that she kept in the kitchen and I watched my cuts heal themselves. She never mentioned the incident to anyone. Not even when Percy and Mr. Weasley returned that night to confirm they had seen Fred and he was indeed, ready to return home the following week.

After that day, I helped Mr. and Mrs Weasley around their house. I cleaned out the shed with Mr. Weasley on the days he was home from the Ministry and when Mrs. Weasley had gone to visit Fred or Ron. I hadn't seen Ron since the night at the Battle. He and Harry Potter were in training to be Aurors. I also hadn't heard anything from Avis and Glenn, which I assumed no news was good news. On the days Mr. Weasley was at the Ministry, I helped Mrs. Weasley tend to her garden and help prepare Fred's temporary room. She had expanded one of the closets in the foyer from the kitchen into a makeshift room with magic. It was unbelievable. I helped her move a bed in and a wardrobe from the twin's old room. I waited downstairs that day. I knew she would need privacy to mourn. I did too. She had claimed that Fred even though Fred was better enough to come home, his leg was still in bad shape. The healers hadn't wanted to risk using magic or potions, and thought it best to let him recover naturally. That was why Mrs. Weasley had set to work expanding one of the closets for the time being. She didn't want Fred going up and down the stairs, and she absolutely did not want him using apparating in the house.

"He'd do it if I let him, and I just can't risk him splinching himself from only going downstairs," she had fretted to me one day. Percy, who had been staying with the Weasley's since the Battle, also chipped in to help get the room together. He helped on his days off from the Ministry, which were not as much as Mr. Weasley had in a week's time.

Finally, the big day had come and I felt like I could throw myself down the stairs. Percy and Mr. Weasley had both taken off from the Ministry. Mrs. Weasley had wanted to put together a big family event, but had been talked out of it by Percy and Mr. Weasley.

"Molly, the boy has been out since May. That is the last thing he is going to want. He's going to be knackered when he gets here. Please, dear, wait another week. Let him get settled in again," Mr. Weasley said before leaving to collect Fred. Mrs. Weasley reluctantly promised him. But that didn't stop her from whipping up a large celebratory dinner if it was only just going to be the five of us. It got to be half past six, Mrs. Weasley was chomping at the bits with nerves. I was too, as I glanced up at the family clock from where I sat at the stairs to see Mr. Weasley, Percy, and Fred's hands go from in transit to home. I noticed George's hand wasn't there. I assumed they had gotten rid of it. I heard the fire place that was connected to the Floo roar as Percy and Fred stepped through followed by Mr. Weasley. I rushed up the stairs to peek through the spaces in the stair well, like a scared child. I wasn't ready. Mrs. Weasley cried with joy and embraced Fred almost immediately before Mr. Weasley stepped out of the fireplace. Percy stepped back to give her more room.

"Oh, my boy! My darling boy," she sobbed and kissed his cheeks.

"Mum," he said muffled by her neck. "You've only just seen me yesterday."

"That was before you came home! Now you're out of that dreadful place!" she pulled back to look at him. "I'm so happy." I could only see the back of him, but I could tell he was happy to be home as well. She stroked his cheek and then let him go. Percy went back to flanking Fred's other side to help support him. I noticed in Fred's other hand was a a silver cane that he was using to lean on. "I bet you're starving! I've had dinner ready for the past hour."

"I'm really not that hungry," Fred started to protest.

"Nonsense, you must eat something before bed!" she exclaimed. He sighed as Percy helped him towards the kitchen.

"Birdie!" Mrs. Weasley called for me. "Please come down and get a bite to eat!"

"Shit," I muttered to myself and slowly climbed down the steps. My heart was pounding so hard in my chest I could feel it in my throat. Mr. Weasley waited for me at the bottom and I followed him into the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was sending plates right and left onto the table.

Fred sat with his back turned and his cane propped against his chair. Percy sat across from him. Which left me to choose from the empty chairs before me.

"Birdie, dear. I've placed you next to Percy," Mrs. Weasley said sending a floating plate of chicken to the table.

 _'Double Shit,'_ I thought bitterly to myself. I nervously crept to my seat, and I already felt his eyes on me. I sat down and peeked up at him through my fringe fell into my eyes. He looked alive, that was a greater advantage than the times I had seen him. He looked thinner and his hair was a bit longer than George's had been. He had dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't had a good night's sleep in ages. He was significantly paler than George had been as well. I tore my eyes away from him and tucked the hair out of my eyes behind my ear.

"Fred, this is Birdie," Percy said introducing the pair of us officially. "Birdie, well, you know."

"Hello," I said softly looking anywhere but directly at him. _'Please let me leave, please let me leave.'_ I chanted in my head.

"Hello, Birdie." He nodded and I melted in a puddle of jitters.

I refused to look at him still. Mrs. Weasley set out the last of the food and came to join us. Everyone filled their plates, except for me or Fred. This didn't go unnoticed by Mrs. Weasley.

"Come now, Fred, just a bit. You don't have to have much. Just something to make your poor old Mum happy," she urged him towards the plate of chicken. She left me alone and I was grateful for it. Though I did nibble on a piece of bread.

"Alright, alright," he gave in, filling his plate half full. He ate very slowly and carefully as Mr. Weasley tried to direct the conversation about the Ministry and what was going on there. He filled Fred in about Percy's new position of Head of his Department.

"Really? That's amazing," and for a moment Fred lights up in a genuine smile. It makes makes the butterflies in my stomach worse.

"Yes, well, thank you," Percy said flustered. This makes Mrs. Weasley burst into tears.

"Mum," Fred groaned as he dropped his fork onto his plate.

"I'm just so happy, is all. Please, just let me be," She sniffled and wiped her eyes with her napkin. Fred doesn't eat again for the remainder of the night and looks uncomfortable instead. I watched him as Mrs. Weasley regained her composure and told him about Bill and his wife. Percy would pop in little things about Harry and Ron's Auror training. Mrs. Weasley let it slip about the grand family gathering she was planning for the upcoming week. Without Ginny, as it is Ginny's last year at Hogwarts. Fred looked even more unsettled. I watched him carefully as he didn't resist the plans. A few minutes goes by and Fred sighed.

"Mum, thank you this was good. I'm pretty tired now, though," he said.

"Yes, Mum. It is rather late. I have an early morning meeting," Percy said glancing at a pocket watch he kept in the breast of his cloak he was wearing.

"Okay, boys. Birdie, dear, would you help Fred to his room please? Arthur and I can tidy up in here without you tonight." Mrs. Weasley turned her attention towards me. I opened my mouth to reply when Fred cut me off.

"I know where it is. She doesn't have to," Fred said struggling to get his cane from behind the chair.

"I do," I blurted. " _want to."_ I finished the last part quietly and I felt my face heat up. I wasn't one to get embarrassed. I felt like I was bold over most things. In that moment, I felt anything but bold.

He studied me briefly. "Alright, suit yourself." Percy had gotten up to help him, and I beat him to it. I handed Fred his cane. He thanked me and I felt his long fingers curl over the crook of right elbow. I tried not to think about it as he hoisted himself up and gripped my elbow tightly. Percy passed the both of us and wished us both a goodnight as he went up the stairs. Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley both did the same and continued on tidying up the kitchen. I helped him to the room, which wasn't that far of a walk. I opened the door for him and helped him to the bed. He sat down and glanced around the room. "At least there's a window. I'm sorry, you didn't have to help me. It wasn't that far. I could have managed."

"It's fine," I quickly said.

"No, really. Mum worries too much. I'll be fine. It's you who she should worry about," he said the last part so softly I almost didn't catch it. I must have been looking at him flabbergasted and strangely because he quickly finished. "Dad told me about your sister." I froze and he caught it. "I didn't know Jane very well at Hogwarts. She was a nice person from what I heard. George knew her a bit better than I did."

Fred could sense my unease, and I couldn't thank him. I couldn't find the right words. "The Aurors specialize in finding people. I'm sure they'll find her."

 _'They won't. Just like they won't find out George was supposed to be the one alive,'_ a dirty thought intruded my head. "Th-thank you. You're very kind to say that."

There was an awkward pause as we both struggled to find something worthwhile to say to one another. "Thank you for helping me tonight, Birdie. I appreciate it."

I don't know what compelled me to say what I did next. I tried so hard to keep this word out of my vocabulary since being there, but with him I couldn't hold it back any longer. "I hope I won't burden you too much by being here."

He looked confused that I would say such a thing. "I'm sorry. I didn't- I'm sorry. Goodnight, please take care of yourself." I ducked my head down and rushed out of the room and closed the door. I slipped past Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and rushed up the stairs to Bill's old room. I shut the door quietly and threw myself onto the bed. I put a pillow over my face and groaned. I felt a few tears sting my eyes.

Crying about it wasn't going to help anymore and neither was getting angry. Fred was home now. I was going to have to find more productive ways of grieving.


End file.
